Pubertyhttps://www.autismspeaks.org/taxonomy/term/31476/0
enYour Dollars @ Work: Adapted Puberty Education for Youth with Autismhttps://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2014/12/11/your-dollars-work-adapted-puberty-education-youth-autism
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<p>Puberty programs for health educators from the Robert Crown Center for Health Education, funded by an Autism Speaks Family Services Community Grant, ease confusion and discomfort and help teens embrace the winding path to adulthood. Parents and teachers have been one hundred percent thrilled with the program and its resources. </p>
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<p><em>This Your Dollars @ Work post highlights the curriculum the <a href="http://www.robertcrown.org/">Robert Crown Centers for Health Education</a>&nbsp;developed for health educators to teach children and young adults with autism about puberty, a critical issue many parents, caregivers and professionals find very difficult to teach individuals on the spectrum. The curriculum was funded by an Autism Speaks <a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/grants/community-grants">Family Services Community Grant</a> of over $20,000 in 2013.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.robertcrown.org/" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/robert_crown_logo.jpg" style="width: 235px; height: 190px; margin: 5px; float: right;" /></a>Robert Crown Center for Health Education Staff members are passionate about serving children. Educators enter the classroom each day with the confidence that the programs they teach have the power to change lives. Puberty programs, in particular, ease confusion and discomfort and help teens embrace the winding path to adulthood. Our Educators&rsquo; noted, however, that their confidence was diminished when they entered a classroom populated by students with special needs. They were striving to make an impact, but their experiences left them feeling frustrated and defeated. Time and again, upon completing a lesson, they would leave the classroom feeling uncertain and asking themselves, &ldquo;Did they understand?&rdquo; and &ldquo;Did I help?&rdquo;</p>
<p>Phyllis Gorman has been teaching puberty education classes at the Robert Crown Center for 20 years and has taught thousands of students. She said, &ldquo;We were striving to reach these students and deliver a quality experience and all we could do was to try to slow down the delivery and hope it helped.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Joan Olson, parent of a child with autism, said, &ldquo;Children with autism struggle to understand complex subject matter that is customarily communicated in spoken language. Field trips such as those offered by schools to the Robert Crown Center are particularly challenging due to the distraction of the new surroundings.&rdquo; Olson&rsquo;s concerns were joined by those of other area parents and teachers, bringing repeated attention to the vital need for curriculum adaptation.</p>
<p>With support from Autism Speaks, RCC engaged special education consultants and got to work adapting materials to make the learning experience really meaningful for students with Autism. That entailed incorporating more visual learning techniques, as well as reinforcing the lessons experientially. Developers created social stories and take-home tools to encourage later reinforcement independently and with parents and teachers.</p>
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Below is a sample of slides from the Girls Curriculum:</h3>
<p><img alt="" src="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/girls_image.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px; margin: 5px;" /></p>
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Below is a sample of slides from the Boys Curriculum:</h3>
<p><img alt="" src="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/boys_image.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px; margin: 5px;" /></p>
<p>The response to the adaptation was amazing!</p>
<p>Parents and teachers were one hundred percent thrilled with the program and its resources. They called and wrote:</p>
<p>&ldquo;Thank you so much for coming out last week!&nbsp; The students seemed really interested in the information, and it was a great experience for them.&rdquo;<br />
- Lauren Mucha, M.Ed., Transition Specialist, PACTT Learning Center&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Thanks for having us!&nbsp; I thought it was a wonderful presentation.&nbsp; I hope to have my students see it again next year.&nbsp; We will definitely be using the materials and ideas in our classes over the year.&rdquo;<br />
- Jennifer Bollinger, teacher, Chicago Public Schools</p>
<p>&ldquo;The information provided regarding public and private touch, and safe and unsafe touch was so important! My daughter does not have an intuitive sense of boundaries and your reinforcement of those boundaries was very productive for her.&rdquo; &nbsp;<br />
- Anonymous parent</p>
<p>&ldquo;We had the most wonderful feedback from staff about your time at Soaring Eagle last night!!! Thank you so much for all you did for this!&rdquo;<br />
- Michele Ricamato, M.A. CCC- Speech and Language Pathologist</p>
<p>It is rare to have the opportunity to experience this level of successful collaboration. RCC Educators have been empowered to make the sort of impact we all hope to make, thanks to the partnership of Autism Speaks.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Both curricula, directed toward health educators, cover general hygiene like dental care, bathing, deoderant, body hair growth, etc. and important lessons such as who to talk to about puberty, what is appropriate in public vs. private places and more. They also cover female-specific and male-specific issues in detail.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/robert_crown_michael_script.pdf"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Download the Boys Puberty Curriculum here!</span></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/robert_crown_linda_script.pdf"><span style="font-size:14px;">Download the Girls Puberty Curriculum here!</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/puberty_checklist.pdf">Download a checklist to help youth with autism keep track of their hygiene here!</a></span></p>
<p><a href="http://robertcrown.org/adaptedPubEdu.shtml"><span style="font-size:14px;">View a list of additional puberty education resources for parents here!</span></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.robertcrown.org"><span style="font-size:14px;">Learn more about the Robert Crown Centers for Health Education here!</span></a></p>
<p><em>Your Dollars @ Work is a blog series highlighting the important work of past recipients of Autism Speaks grants to give you a glimpse into how your donations are changing lives of so many in the autism community! Check out previous entries&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/wordpress-tags/your-dollars-work">here</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
Family ServicesPubertyRobert Crown Centers for Health EducationSchool AgesexualityTransition AgeYour Dollars @ WorkThu, 11 Dec 2014 21:38:45 +0000Ali Watters283236 at https://www.autismspeaks.orgWhy Has Our Daughter Become Violent?https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2013/04/26/why-has-our-daughter-become-violent
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<p>Parents seek advice on understanding and helping daughter whose puberty brought sudden onset of violent behavior</p>
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<p><strong>Our daughter has been loving and affectionate for twelve years. But since she&rsquo;s reached puberty she&rsquo;s been biting, scratching and completely checking out when she gets her period. What is known about girls with autism at puberty?</strong></p>
<p><em><img alt="" src="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/puberty_blog_pic.png" style="width: 270px; height: 178px; float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" />This week&#39;s &quot;Got Questions?&quot; answer comes from Cassandra R. Newsom, PsyD, assistant professor of pediatrics and director of psychology education, and Cora M. Taylor, PhD, TRIAD postdoctoral fellow &ndash; both of Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD), an </em><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/resources-programs/autism-treatment-network/what-atn"><em>Autism Treatment Network</em></a><em> center in Nashville, Tennessee. </em></p>
<p>Puberty is a challenge for many children and their families. It can be especially tough for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) &ndash; many of whom struggle with change of any kind.</p>
<p>Puberty, of course, involves non-stop change. Your daughter&rsquo;s body is changing, her hormones fluctuating. Adolescence also brings an upheaval in social interactions &ndash; which may already be difficult for her to navigate.</p>
<p>Research suggests that puberty brings a number of special challenges for girls with autism. They have higher rates of abnormal hormone changes. This can produce irregular menstrual cycles, cramps, polycystic ovary syndrome and severe acne. Gynecologists also report that girls with autism are more likely than girls with other types of developmental issues to have behavioral problems related to their menstruation. They may become more aggressive, obsessive and destructive. They may experience increased repetitive behaviors.</p>
<p><strong>Consult with your daughter&rsquo;s doctor</strong><br />
Some girls who have both autism and epilepsy experience an uptick in seizure activity related to their new hormonal cycle. Talk to your doctor if you suspect your daughter may be experiencing new seizures or an increase in seizures.</p>
<p>These may be signs of a medical issue or serious mood problem. Adolescence is a time when we see an increase in depression and anxiety in individuals with ASD, particularly in those who are older and more verbally and cognitively able.</p>
<p>Any time you see a dramatic change in your child&rsquo;s behavior, we encourage you to consider what might underlie the behavior, be it pain, discomfort, fear, confusion, sadness or sensory overload. Pay special attention to self-injury, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, frequent complaints of feeling ill (headaches and stomachaches) or an abrupt loss of interest in activities that she used to find fun.</p>
<p>During the hormonal tumult of puberty, young teens have to contend with an increasingly complicated social scene. It can be a time when they become painfully aware of how they&rsquo;re different from their peers. All this can result in higher levels of withdrawal, depression and anxiety. The teens we work with in our center often have trouble finding appropriate ways to express their feelings about this tumult. As a result, we often see difficult and challenging behaviors emerge.</p>
<p><strong>Helping your adolescent navigate puberty</strong><br />
It&rsquo;s important to teach your daughter about her period and what to expect. Do this the same way that you teach her about other things: Break down information into simple facts, using visuals, lots of repetition and social stories.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To help her prepare for each period, keep track of her cycle on a calendar. Let her help you make a hygiene kit that she can keep in her bathroom, her backpack or with a school nurse. Finally, make sure she has a way to let you know if she has cramps or a headache. You may find it helpful to make notes about the onset of her period, her mood, sleep, appetite and when problem behaviors occur.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/angry_thermometer.png" style="width: 160px; height: 214px; float: right; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" />You can use the same supports during puberty that you have always used to help your child. Remind her of good ways to express strong emotions. If she&rsquo;s verbal, encourage her to use her words to label feelings (&ldquo;It sounds like you&rsquo;re feeling angry,&rdquo; or &ldquo;So when she did that, it made you sad.&rdquo;) If your child is less verbal, use supports like pictures, signing, word cards or an &ldquo;emotion thermometer&rdquo; (right) to help her express her feelings.</p>
<p>Consider getting support from a counselor or therapist who&rsquo;s familiar with your child&rsquo;s diagnosis. He or she can help you identify why her challenging behaviors are occurring, develop a plan to reduce them and evaluate her for depression or severe anxiety.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>And now for the good news &hellip;</strong></p>
<p>We know how difficult it is to parent any child through puberty. But the news is not all bad! Over the course of adolescence and adulthood, the core symptoms of ASD, along with hyperactivity and irritability, often decrease. Progress can also come with your teen&rsquo;s natural desire for more independence and control. Use this to your advantage by offering more choices, such as choosing between two outfits, helping plan a meal and planning activities with family or friends.</p>
<p>Finally, know that you are not alone. The journal <em>Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics</em> recently published an entire <a href="http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/narrative_inquiry_in_bioethics/toc/nib.2.3.html">special issue</a> on how parents help their adolescents with autism navigate the transition to adulthood.</p>
<p><em>Editor&rsquo;s note: For more on teen issues, please see these Autism Speaks blogs on </em><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2012/08/24/promoting-teen-social-skills"><em>teen social skills</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2012/10/02/tackling-teenage-sexuality"><em>teenage sexuality</em></a>. Dr. Newsom also recommends this workbook: <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Care-Myself-Personal-Curriculum/dp/1885477945">Taking Care of Myself: A Hygiene, Puberty and Personal Curriculum for Young People with Autism</a>,</em><em> by Mary Wrobel.</em></p>
<p><em>Thanks to your support, Autism Speaks is funding&nbsp;</em><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/about-us/grant-search/results/taxonomy%3A9771%20adolescents"><em>a </em><em>number of studies</em></a><em>&nbsp;aimed at improving life skills and quality of life in teens and young adults. You can explore these and other donor-supported research programs using our<a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/about-us/grant-search">&nbsp;</a></em><a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/about-us/grant-search"><em>Grant Search engine</em></a><em>.</em></p>
ASDAsperger SyndromeATNautism and teensautism spectrumautism spectrum disorderAutism Treatment NetworkCassandra NewsomCora TaylorGot Questions?menstruationPPD-NOSPubertyScienceFri, 26 Apr 2013 05:09:10 +0000219801 at https://www.autismspeaks.orgNBC's Parenthood Tackles Pubertyhttps://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2013/01/09/nbcs-parenthood-tackles-puberty
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<p>Last night on Parenthood's episode, 'Small Vistories,' we see Max entering puberty.</p>
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<p>Last night on <a href="http://www.nbc.com/parenthood/">Parenthood</a>&#39;s episode, &#39;<a href="http://www.nbc.com/parenthood/video/small-victories/n31267/">Small Vistories</a>,&#39; we see Max entering puberty. It is difficult as a parent to explain puberty to a neuro-typical child, but becomes even more so when your child is on the spectrum. We have compiled several resources that you can use to help make it through that stage of life!</p>
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<a href="http://www.autismhelp.info/teen/sexuality-puberty-and-hygiene/categories,id,450,1-1.aspx#">Autism and Teen Years</a></li>
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<a href="http://www.boardmakershare.com/Activity/1591015/My-Body-Changes-Boys">Free visual social story that explains puberty for boys</a></li>
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<a href="http://www.autism-help.org/family-puberty-autism.htm">Puberty &amp; Autism Spectrum Disorders</a></li>
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<a href="http://support.autism-society.org/site/DocServer/LWA_Puberty.pdf?docID=4182">Support from Autism Society</a></li>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1885477945/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=autispea-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=1885477945">Taking Care of Myself</a></li>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Boys-Guide-Growing-Up/dp/1606130897?tag=vglnkc7929-20">The Boys Guide to Growing Up</a></li>
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Asperger SyndromeautismAwarenessParenthoodPubertyTeenagersWed, 09 Jan 2013 19:57:16 +0000alison.dyer215611 at https://www.autismspeaks.org